Oh-and-3 Flyers having Devil of a time finding win column

The Devils' Ilya Kovalchuk scores on a penalty shot against Flyers goalie Ilya Bryzgalov during the second period Tuesday, putting away New Jersey's third goal when only one was needed to top the lifeless Flyers. (Associated Press)

NEWARK, N.J. -- Now they're oh-and-3, and even though they managed to get a little indignant while they were being embarrassed Tuesday night, the Flyers really weren't all that competitive in a 3-0 loss to the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center.

At least not in a smart way, they weren't.

Against their nearest rivals, the team that knocked them out of the playoffs last spring, the Flyers played their worst of three-and-counting flopping losses in this post-lockout season. Oh, they played well enough to win, but this time they allowed their frustrations build to the point of preventing any chance of a cohesive comeback effort.

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"We can't lose games anymore," said goalie Ilya Bryzgalov (23 saves), who despite some shaky moments again played a strong game that went for naught. "It's much harder to get out of the bottom of the standings because there's not enough games."

So for only the third time in franchise history, the Flyers -- who never lost three in a row last season until the playoffs -- have started a season 0-3. And from the looks of things, they're just getting started.

"I wouldn't say it's time to panic," Wayne Simmonds said, "but I think it's fair to say the next game is a must-win."

That mandate must be served Thursday night at home against the beloved New York Rangers, who have had early problems of their own, but couldn't match the level of incompetence the Flyers have shown thus far on special teams if they tried. Against the Devils, the Flyers won the early battle on the shots scoreboard, but once again couldn't buy any luck on the power play. As a result, they let their pent-up frustrations boil over late in the game. At least all the penalties they took then gave their struggling penalty kill some much-needed practice time.

"It's not a secret we need to work on it," said Claude Giroux, speaking in general of his club's un-special teams.

"I think we played a great first period," Giroux said. "The first two games we weren't too solid in the first period, but we did a pretty good job this game. But New Jersey is a pretty good team. We know that. It's not a fluke that they went to the Stanley Cup Finals last year."

No, the Flyers would know all about that.

Just like they knew last year all about bad starts, no matter how they happen.

To start with, the porous Flyers defense allowed Dainius Zubrus to carry the puck through the neutral zone, step right around one guy, blow past another and go behind the net before zipping a pass out to the right point. There, Bryce Salvador threw a shot toward net, and the only player in the way was Devils teammate Travis Zajac, who knocked the puck down in front of Bryzgalov, then wristed a shot into a yawning cage for a 1-0 lead.

"We kind of dug ourselves a grave there by giving up that goal within the first two minutes," Simmonds said. "When you start playing from behind you're not going to win a lot of hockey games."

As usual, the Devils were playing very aggressively, resulting in consecutive power plays for the Flyers. But Marty Brodeur, en route to his 120th career shutout (10 against the Flyers) and career win No. 658, was barely bothered during them as the Flyers' power play was on its way to going 1-for-15 on the season.

"There's been opportunities we've had on the power play to get back in the game or even to take leads," Simmonds noted. "We're getting chances, we're getting pucks to the net. I think I have to take responsibility. At the net, I'm the front guy and I'm not putting them in.

"We're getting enough jam. We're not getting bounces."

The Flyers actually didn't have a bad first period, not when you consider the Devils would go more than 12 minutes without a shot. In the final minute of the period, however, Braydon Coburn was called for interference, and it took 10 seconds for the Devils to take advantage. All it took was for David Clarkson to throw a puck toward the slot, and it bounced off Ruslan Fedotenko's skate and took a left into the net with just 25 seconds left in the period.

The reason it went in so easily? Bryz had somehow lost his stick.

"Bad luck, you know," Bryzgalov said. "The puck hit the forward's skate and go in. What else can you do?"

The Flyers, having proven to be a bit clueless on the penalty kill, again were asked to try their hands at the power play. Before long, Ilya Kovalchuk was picking some cherries at the blue line just when Kimmo Timonen was committing a turnover. Kovy was thus sprung on a breakaway, and was pulled down from behind by Timonen.

That brought on a fan's dream -- a penalty shot, and with one of the most skilled players in the world going against a fellow Ilya who is decidedly unskilled in shootout situations. Predictably, Kovalchuk lifted it top shelf for a 3-0 Devils lead.

It was pretty much over then, because the Flyers let it be. Bryzgalov did very well to keep it a three-goal game as the Devils' power play unit had him flying around, especially during a two-man advantage that went for 1:11 in the second. The third period featured some fisted flailing as the Flyers tried to make themselves feel better. At least they gave their penalty kill students plenty of practice time again. Maybe another six-day training camp for the whole team is the remedy they really need.